Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 7

Chapter 5

"HALT! Stay where you are! And oh GOD, there's MORE of you!" The weary man in the blue uniform Dani met when she was at the ministry the year before frantically waved his probity probe at the students popping out of the fireplace.

"I think Filch has one of those," said Tonks when the uniformed man got to her. She reached out to touch it, pulling her hand away just before a gloved palm came down on it.

"Wands." Everyone fumbled in their pockets as the man took and examined their wands. "...ash and unicorn tail hair, 12 inches...ebony and dragon heartstring, 11 and a quarter inches..."

"Can we go now?" asked Barnaby.

"When you all show me your credentials."

"Dumbledore said the people here would give us our credentials," Liz admitted.

"No credentials means no further entry into the ministry."

"Unless they have someone to vouch for their credibility, Eric." Mr. Weasley appeared, with Bill next to him. "See, Charlie is my son, I recognize his friends Dani and Tonks, and I'm sure their classmates are well-behaved enough to be selected for the careers program. They'll be getting their credentials from Amos."

"...Fine." Eric left to mind his own business.

"Isn't he boring?" said Bill.

"Eric Munch is a man of few words," said Mr. Weasley. He put a hand on Charlie's shoulder, which he grimaced at. "Of course Bill and I wouldn't miss your first day at the ministry." He turned to Dani. "Your dad says hi. He would've came down if he wasn't tied up at the Beast Division-apparently some of the transport crates have been jinxed to... bounce? ...Well, I guess this is the thing you should expect here in the ministry. Are you guys excited?"

"Yes!" Tonks punched the air, a 360 from her insecurity at breakfast.

"Of course we are," said Barnaby. "We're at the place that controls all the witches and wizards in the country!"

Mr. Weasley laughed. "We wish."

"You guys will smash your assignments," said Bill. "Weasleys are usually right about this kind of thing."

"Anyway," said Mr. Weasley, "Amos is your friend Cedric's dad. His office is..."
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"Ack! Who are you all?"

"I'm-"

"Never mind. Don't care."

"Mr. Weasley says you're supposed to give us our credentials."

"What in the world is a Weasley? Better yet, tell me what you're all doing here?"

"We're Hogwarts seventh-years in the careers program."

"Unfortunately I'm no longer... in charge of the student program. Look, just go to office... 34B?"
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At office 34B...

"There's nobody here," Dani pointed out.

"It's very... pink," said Ben.

Barnaby ran to a wall of cat pictures. "So cute? Are they-"

"Hem-hem."

A stout, middle-aged woman in a hot pink dress and pink cardigan stared disapprovingly at the group as she entered the office. "Dolores Umbridge, head of the Improper Use of Magic Office. How did you get into my office?"

"Well, uh, we-" Tonks began.

"Speak clearly! Don't mumble," Umbridge scolded.

"Miss Umbridge, we-" said Ben.

"That's Madam Umbridge to you," Umbridge corrected angrily. "Now, one of you is going to tell me why six trespassers are in my office without my permission."

"We're Hogwarts students on the careers program, Madam Umbridge," Dani explained. "Amos Diggory told us to come here."

"I should have expected as much from Diggory," Umbridge grumbled. Her eyes suddenly lit up once she'd gotten a better look at the student who had spoken. "Ah, and you must be... Danielle Jackson, the so-called hero of Hogwarts! You look so much like your pathetic excuse of a brother I see so much in the Daily Prophet. (Dani is struggling to keep a straight face.) How delightful! I was just about to have a cup of tea. You'll find it really relaxes you and makes you... open right up."

"I'm sorry, Madam Umbridge, but I'm sure my soon-to-be supervisors wouldn't be very happy if I was late for my first day, so I just wanted to know who we're supposed to find...?"

"No worries, dear. We'll definitely have tea together sometime soon. I'm just dying to hear about your adventures. Especially with the cursed vaults... (Dani gets a weird sense of deja vu.) Anyway, you'll want to see Wilkie Twycross, I passed him on my way here and he was talking about students..."
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"She's dodgy, don't you guys think?" Tonks said as they entered the office Umbridge directed them to.

"Took you long enough," said Twycross when he saw the students. "Let's not waste our time. Before you get your credentials, you must listen to the Rules of Conduct..."
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"...now, I will be taking questions as promised."

The students shook their heads or looked at each other. (None of them paid attention.)

"Alright then, here are your credentials... Now, I believe Miss Jackson and Miss Tonks are assigned to the Auror Office-"

"YESSS!!!!!"

"-and the rest of you will be at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. Don't step a toe out of line, the lot of you, unless you want to be reassigned to Magical Maintenance, or worse, be kicked out of the program. I'll be escorting you all..."
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"Finally," said Moody. "I hope you didn't burn my letter before you read it, Dani."

"I'm excited to start hunting dark witches and wizards!"

"...Not so fast."